Saudi Arabia has unveiled its first locally made electric vehicles as the Kingdom seeks to build a domestic automotive industry. Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, chairman of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), launched CEER’s EXOBOT electric sedan and SUV on Monday, September 21.
The two models were showcased by CEER, Saudi Arabia’s national automotive company, as the first of a planned seven-vehicle lineup. The models will be designed, engineered and manufactured in Saudi Arabia as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to attract investment, create jobs and develop its industrial sector, the company said.
The EXOBOT sedan and are the first two vehicles in CEER’s planned seven-model lineup over the next five years. The future range will include compact and midsize vehicles with different powertrain options, CEER said.
The vehicles will be manufactured at the CEER Manufacturing Complex (CMC) in King Abdullah Economic City, part of the King Salman Automotive Cluster. CEER describes the facility as the largest automotive manufacturing plant in the Middle East. Series production of the EXOBOT models has not yet begun.
The EXOBOT models were designed and engineered in Saudi Arabia, CEER said. Their styling draws inspiration from the country’s natural landscape and cultural heritage.
CEER has previously linked its design direction to elements such as Najdi architecture, Red Sea coral and Sadu weaving patterns. CEER design director Rob Melville has outlined these influences as part of the brand’s design philosophy.
Mohammed bin Salman said the new vehicles mark another phase in Saudi Arabia’s efforts to build a sustainable industrial ecosystem, PIF said in a press release.
The has the potential to support economic development through investment, national talent and greater private-sector participation, he said in a statement issued in connection with Monday’s launch.
PIF launched CEER in 2022 as Saudi Arabia’s first automotive brand, as part of the Kingdom’s broader efforts to diversify its economy and increase the automotive industry’s contribution to GDP.
According to projections cited by CEER, the company could contribute more than SR30 billion ($8 billion) to Saudi Arabia’s GDP by 2034 and more than SR80 billion ($21 billion) to the country’s trade balance. It also expects the project to create direct and indirect employment.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment aims to increase the country’s EV production capacity to 500,000 vehicles by 2030. Three PIF-connected automotive projects are currently underway in King Abdullah Economic City. These include CEER, a PIF-Hyundai project and Lucid’s manufacturing facility.
